Surrender or subversion? Contextual and theoretical analysis of the paintings by Japan's hidden Christians, 1640--1873

My research analyzes the complexity of a hybrid style used in the paintings of the Hidden Christians of the Ikitsuki Island during Japan's anti-Christian era (ca. 1640-1873). Approximately one hundred years after the Jesuits' introduction of Christianity to Japan in 1549, the Japanese government issued numerous bans on Christianity followed by a series of persecutions and deportations. Some devotees resisted the government decrees and chose to disguise themselves as non-Christians to survive. Known today as Hidden Christians, these people continued to practice their faith while altering their religious expressions. Often thought of as a symbol of defeat and compliance to the government, the paintings of Hidden Christians of the Ikitsuki Island diverged from the conventional Christian images created by the missionary studios established in Japan and incorporated some of the local visual elements and symbolisms. This thesis applies the postcolonial theory of mimicry to shed light on the elements of resistance and subversion found in the Hidden Christian icons. In addition, it examines the Jesuits' missionary approaches and the use of their Spiritual Exercises in Japan to demonstrate the Ikitsuki Hidden Christians' ability to appropriate their faith through their unique visual expression within the context of their reality.